Protect Your Fondest Memories

It's happened to quite a few people I know. It's happened to me. My home was burglarized. Ok it's been a year and a half ago, but I am often reminded of how lucky we were and how others fared differently with their precious memories.

When I entered my home and quickly realized something was not right, I began to go room by room to see if things were missing. When I got to my bedroom, I realized my TV was gone. I immediately panicked and ran upstairs praying that my computer was still there. As the officer ahead of me said, "Ma'am, is there supposed to be something in this space on top of your desk," my heart sank.

What was missing from my desk was my computer. Considering I work from home, not only had I lost all of my work, but all of the memories of my children from birth stored electronically on my computer. Or so I thought. A quick tearful phone call to my husband revealed he had hidden the external hard drive to the computer out of sight and reach. I quickly confirmed it was still in it's place and wanted to reach through the phone and hug him as I realized all may not have been lost.

But for others, they are not so lucky. In fact a friend who lives locally lost all of her children's electronic scrapbooks she had been working on for the past few years when her home was burglarized for the third time recently. The mean people took her laptop this time, and with it many memories she cannot get back.

I tear up as I write this post because I know how she must feel, and how she will feel when she is reminded of it upon reading this post.

My point is not to focus on the past and what happened to her, me or others I know. My point in this post is to let everyone know something to try that could preserve years of pictures and work in the event your computer is stolen.

An external hard drive......

Anyone can get one. And I would recommend hiding it up high somewhere completely out of sight and out of reach. You might also consider storing it from time to time outside of your home. Leave it at a friend's home or place it in a deposit box at the bank. Whatever you do, don't naively believe that this will never happen to you. I did. I knew my home being broken in to was a possibility, as it happens in the world most everyday. But I didn't stop to think how I might feel if all of my family's memories were stolen from me.

Go out today and buy an external drive or other way to back up your work. Or, if you want to wait until the snow clears, I think you have that time at least.

A Four Letter Word That Means So Much

I've known her for a while from Zumba class. Darah, her husband Henry, and their cute son Jonah, decided to put their home on the market in the fall of last year.

They made the decision to keep business separate from friendship and listed with another Realtor. I totally understood when Darah told me. After all, I didn't wanna hear any four-letter words travel my way if a year later, her home was still on the market. :) Not that that would happen of course.

In all honesty, I value my friendships. You see, as with any clients, I don't rest until my friends' homes sell when I put them on the market.

These guys had a change of heart this year and in less than 1 month of me putting their beautiful Woodlake home back on the market, they get to say the four letter word that will take them to their next destination. Darah said she came home from work today to this four letter word...."SOLD!"

Congrats friends! And thanks for trusting me and Go Realty to find the buyers. :)

Who knew drool and pbj stains would spawn a career?

Ok I fibbed. Just a little. For drool and pbj were just a "twinkle in my eye" when I began my real estate career ten years ago.

Have you ever been in a job you actually enjoy but you're under appreciated, under paid or down right under supported with the tools you need to build your organization in the way you had envisioned? Yes, you can relate?? OK some of you can. No worries... that's old news. 

It was that place, that point where moving forward in your career is actually more painful than the frightening, "what the hell am I thinking" move into a commission based business with no health insurance, no clients, no scheduled monthly pay check and no real vision of the future. You see, that decision was made after a year and a half of internal deliberation. "Can I do this?" I thought. "Will I succeed?"

In January of 2004, I jumped with both feet in (and with the surprising support of my husband) to pursue a bigger future. One where I had the freedom to be my own boss and set my own schedule.

I began to dream. I enjoyed the process of buying my first home and I began to dream this same dream over and over again for each one of my clients. One of my first clients I ever worked with shed tears over a decision to purchase her first home. I admit, as a rookie to real estate, and a rookie to tears during the process, I was scared. I had to help her pull it together so she could see clearly and make a decision based on her dreams. I took her through the Wendy's drive thru for a Frosty  (true story) and after she calmed down and looked at the home again through different eyes, she saw her future there with her husband. 

This isn't the only dream I've been apart of over the years. It certainly isn't the only tears I've been around to watch through the home buying and selling process. And I'm glad it isn't the only dream I've been a witness to. Each home viewing, each contract, each home inspection, each final walkthrough and each closing represents a step taken in fulfilling a dream. 

For many, the dream starts at home ownership. For others, it's starting a family, becoming a doctor, living near grandchildren, volunteering in the community or helping a son or daughter attend college. 

For me the dream began at becoming my own boss and setting my own hours. It quickly changed to helping others fulfill their dreams. and In 2008 my job as a Realtor took a different direction. Being my own boss and having a flexible schedule allowed me to stay home with my newborn baby, nurse him most of the time when I needed to, and see him through trials and tribulations with school. My next little miracle was born in 2010, and for 5 years now, my dream has evolved. 

You can say I dreamed of drool and pbj stains. And you are right. I would not change any minute of my journey and I know many of my clients would not change theirs. As they continue to spend the next days and years in their new homes, I will spend the next days and years with the family I dreamed of and I can't wait to see what the future holds for me. Thank you real estate and thank you God for my wonderful life! Dreams do come true.

It's 7 Minutes Until........

Midnight! You know what that means.... Happy Hour at Go Realty Durham!

Join us tomorrow from 4-6 for free beverages and food and see a happy seller with her newly signed contract in hand. Help us celebrate!

Hope to see some of you there!

Congrats To These Happy Buyers!!

Jason Block and Scott Stauble met with their builder yesterday to pick which trees to keep on their lot and which to cut. Their home will begin construction later this month and they are looking at a June move in.

Wish them the best as future homeowners in Crestfield in Durham! I know they are excited!

An Inspiring Client Story-A Must Read!!

I loved helping this family find their new home this year! They have had trials and their outlook on life is inspiring. I hope to have an attitude like theirs in the new year. Below is a post from Alexandra's Facebook page that I asked her permission to share:

2009 was Sam and my first Christmas together. Between out of town trips and a funeral that all overlapped, we spent it, and almost two weeks, apart. 

2010 was the Christmas that Sam asked me to be his wife, and it was our first Christmas as a family.
2011 was our first Christmas in Raleigh and our first Christmas as husband and wife. We were still reelling from the news we received from Sam's doctor the previous month.
2012 was Joanna's first Christmas. Sam was in remission after 8 months of treatment and a rocky year.
2013 was our first Christmas in our very own home in Knightdale. Sam has been at a job he loves for almost a year, and is still in remission. Our kids are happy and loved.

There has been ups, and downs, and lots of in betweens. Together we've traveled up and down the coast, to another country, and made a new city our home. We've fallen in love, gotten engaged, and then married. We've gotten pregnant, experienced miscarriage, and had the sweetest little brown eyed girl. We've sobbed when we heard the word cancer and sobbed at the word remission. We've celebrated countless birthdays, danced at weddings, and held each other through funerals.

The New Year always brings something new. Sometimes good, sometimes not. It's not all sunshine and rainbows, but the love gets us through the dark days. I am both excited and apprehensive to see what 2014 brings - but ready or not, it's coming! Happy New Year, from our family, to each of you.

Happy New Year to the Shraders!

~Photo courtesy of sara davis photography 

www.saraedavisphoto.com

Set a Plan for 2014! Make More Than Just Goals. And 2013 Reflections.

It's that time again to reflect on the year as it draws near an end. Most people evaluate what they accomplished (or failed to accomplish) around New Year's. In fact, I'm going to tell you what I accomplished this year for starters. But instead of making New Year's goals or resolutions for 2014, make a plan and aspire to greater things and make them happen!

My accomplishments in the year of '13:

I moved my Zumba class from the tiny, carpeted club house in Woodcroft to Dance Theater South in Sutton Station. What a difference a larger, brighter atmosphere made. My class grew immediately. I am so blessed for the ladies (and Don when he drops in) who trust me to help them reach their fitness goals.

Speaking of fitness goals, I continued to maintain a good portion of my weight loss this year. I'm focusing not on the numbers for the new year, but instead on maintaining strength and endurance that 2013 brought.

I stepped out of my comfy zone and joined Go Realty in January. Nine years at another company got me warm and cozy in my zone. But I made the switch! And this is what birthed my next accomplishment.

Shakeitupdurham became my new blog where I post real estate related stories, life lessons and my homes for sale. You won't believe how hard it was to come up with a name for my blog!

I began to focus more on my clients and their needs and less on my company's (or my own) sales numbers. In doing so, I met some truly spectacular people. In fact, I helped one family find their new home in Knightdale. They were first-time home buyers who endured a hardship of cancer within the past few years. What a fulfilling job I have. I have really seen that through my clients this year.

My sweet, funny, cute, caring, negotiating son Owen began kindergarten this year. I have to say just getting pregnant with Owen was an accomplishment in 2007! But seeing him come into more independence and really enjoy learning and reading has made this mom proud. Beginning kindergarten was his accomplishment, but God entrusting me to be his mother is quite my accomplishment!

Becoming better at telling friends and strangers exactly what I do (real estate, amongst other things) has seen a huge improvement for me this year. Prior to my Go90x challenge, which I completed in March, I kind of just assumed people knew what I did, and of course they would want to refer their friends and families to me. Ha! I really need to remind everyone what it is I do and what makes me a great realtor. :)

I don't think I fell short in many areas this year, but as always, there is much room for growth. So I just finished making my plan for 2014. My plan is simple. Strive to meet and invest in more people. In doing so, I hope to be able to meet a need somehow in their lives. I know the people I meet in 2014 will leave an impression on my life in some way, but I want to do the same for them. And in doing so, I will also find success in many ways in my own personal life. But first, I need to give to others.

Make your plan now! Begin by envisioning what you ultimately want and break your goals down into an action plan. Here is to an awesome 2014! I know you can do it!